Can Someone Explain Why This Card Isn't Super Popular
Commander Deck Help forum
Posted on May 7, 2018, 6:34 p.m. by ersatz_olorin
Magistrate's Scepter seems super easy to break, especially in something like an Atraxa deck.
For Instance:
Pay to put one counter on it.
Contagion Engine Puts 2 more
Atraxa puts one more which leaves 4 counters on it, which means infinite turns.
OR
Dramatic Scepter + Inexorable Tide + This = infinite turns
OR
This + Core Prowler + Paradox Engine + Cauldron of Souls + any sac outlet = infinite turns
Admittedly that last one is janky but still works, and these are just off the top of my head, why is this card not seeing more play?
ersatz_olorin says... #3
A.) Although it certainly isn't by any means competitive, 8 mana isn't that unfeasible for the average game of commander, especially in a deck that runs green
B.) I was trying to use shorthand for the combo of Isochron Scepter and Dramatic Reversal with mana rocks or dorks that provide 2 mana, I'm sorry that wasn't clear.
C.) First off, in what world is infinite draws not good. Add to that all the land drops you need, which leads to any spell you want to cast. Taking infinite turns doesn't directly win the game, but it usually leads to it, barring instant speed disruption, which one would of course prepare for before exposing their combo.
D.) These are literally just combos that I thought of off the top of my head writing this post, I assume they can be refined to some degree.
May 7, 2018 7:05 p.m.
MegaMetagross says... #4
A) I can't know that you replied to me if you don't tag me
B) 8 mana means turn 8 if a deck doesnt invest in ramp.
C). I never said infinite draws isn't good. so im confused what prompted your response of "in what world is infinite draws not good(?)"
D) for your 3rd combo, you would also need a way to prevent Core Prowler from gaining the -1/-1 counters from persist, such as a Melira, Sylvok Outcast. you also need spells to cast for Paradox Engine. it triggers when spells are cast, not when something enters the battlefield.
May 7, 2018 7:13 p.m.
ersatz_olorin says... #5
A.) Whoops sorry MegaMetagross :)
B.) True enough, that just means that a deck like this is going to invest in ramp... I don't know what else to say here. Obviously the middle combo is the best one, since it also opens up all the combos that go with DS and DR (if you aren't aware of them, look 'em up, there are a crap ton).
C.) You're comment that it was just infinite draws seemed a little dismissive of it, and that confused me.
D.) I knew I'd forget something lol. Like I said, off the top of my head.
E.) Can we just go back to paragraph writing, making lists feels weirdly hostile.
TLDR: I get what you're saying, this isn't really cEDH material, I'm just a little surprised that Johnny fodder like this isn't seen more often.
May 7, 2018 7:25 p.m.
MegaMetagross says... #6
i can understand being confused why certain cards don't see more play. for example, i'd never heard of Nature's Spiral until i pulled one at the dominaria prerelease, even though it was first printed in m10 back in 2009. i've been playing since 2005. i think the card is useful, even with just fetchlands. but nobody uses it in modern. basically, it boils down to the fact that most magic players would rather copy/paste a deck they find on the internet than brew something themselves.
May 7, 2018 9:23 p.m.
ersatz_olorin says... #7
I know, that's why commander's so cool, you can play cool cards without having to worry so much about its immediate board impact, you can even cast things that cost more than 4.
May 7, 2018 10:05 p.m.
MegaMetagross says... #8
there are some modern decks that cast cards of cmc 5+ as well, just not a lot of them.
May 7, 2018 10:18 p.m.
DrukenReaps says... #9
It isn't popular because it takes work and is old, so it lies forgotten to most people if they even knew about it to begin with.
May 7, 2018 11:30 p.m.
ersatz_olorin: I use Magistrate's Scepter in my Atraxa deck at the moment, Atraxa Artifacts.
I imagine the card would be hard to use unless your whole deck is focused on charge counters. My Atraxa deck is all about charge counters and proliferating, so it works well in there as a payoff card. When you're using cards like Energy Chamber, Coretapper, Astral Cornucopia, Voltaic Key, and Everflowing Chalice you can get enough mana to go infinite.
The easiest way is probably to use the Basalt Monolith & Rings of Brighthearth combo to get infinite colourless mana, then have a Voltaic Key to get infinite triggers.
Not really a competitive EDH strategy, but profilerating is alot of fun.
May 8, 2018 12:56 a.m.
Hjaltrohir says... #13
I think the problem is that in EDH decks that want combos want far more efficient infinite turn combos (i.e: involving Time Sieve or Time Vault) so they have better options.
Conversely in janky decks or lower-level commander play, combos are often frowned upon for being restrictive (true) or are just not assigned the weight they are in cEDH therefore few people play them.
TLDR: Not a question of the card being bad necessarily, just needs to find the right player/playgroup to use its power-level effectively.
May 8, 2018 3:57 a.m.
DerektheRed says... #14
what Hjaltrohir said. There are faster more efficient ways to go infinite in competitive, and infinite turns in non-competitive is bad form.
MegaMetagross says... #2
well your first combo would require 8 mana for the first extra turn, then 4 mana per turn after that. which means it'll take a long time to set up and then even if it does get set up, you won't have a lot of spare mana to use on those extra turns. as for your 2nd combo, there is no card named "dramatic scepter". basically, the combos you mention dont win the game. they simply provide infinite draws
May 7, 2018 6:49 p.m.